Acts 19:8-10: “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”
Campus Ministry can change the world! In Acts 19, Paul and his fellow disciples have daily “discussions” (Bible Talks) with non-Christians at the “Tyrannus Campus” in Ephesus. In two years, all of “Asia” (presently the entire western area of the nation of Turkey) was evangelized! This is an amazing passage about Paul overcoming adversity and opposition to preach the Word from the lecture hall of Tyrannus! In just a little over two years the message of the cross was preached to the whole province of Asia!
In Mark 3:14, Jesus chose twelve young men who were most likely in their teens and twenties (college age), to “be with Him so that He might send them out to preach.” Some like James and John were still working with their father. (Mark 1:19-20) Peter was married, but probably not yet with children. (Mark 1:30) After walking with these 12, whom He called apostles – Greek for messengers – Jesus gave them the charge to make disciples in all nations, thus evangelizing the world in a generation. (Matthew 28:19-20) According to Paul, this is exactly what they did. In Colossians 1, written just 30 years after Jesus’ dream is revealed to His apostles, Paul records “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing…This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” Amazingly the world was evangelized without mass–communications, such as telephones, television or the internet or without mass–transportation, such as cars, trains or airplanes! Certainly with these advantages today, though the world has a much larger population, the nations can be evangelized in our generation.
Recently the OICC has been steadily working on campus – reaching hundreds of students who are open and ready to hear the Good News! Corey Jones and Paula Harpole have been having daily Bible discussions throughout the week with students. In addition, the Campus Ministry has also been holding weekly social events on campus including movie nights, volleyball, socials, and game nights. We believe in reaching the students at the University of Central Florida as well as Valencia Community College, Full Sail, and Rollins College as these young men and women are open and eager to find the Truth.
Paula Harpole went on staff with OICC as our Campus Intern at the start of 2010. On her first official day on campus, she met Malomo Brown and Roberta Saintil who were eager and excited to study the Word! We are pleased to report that Malomo and Roberta were baptized just this past month! Malomo is a freshman at UCF who is majoring in Elementary Education. She is on fire for God. She sang for the church at her first service as a member and astonished the church with her amazing voice. Roberta is also a very talented UCF freshman majoring in Legal Studies. Roberta and Malomo shared with their friend Marcus Jackson who was baptized two weeks later! Marcus is a Biology major and is fired up for the Lord. All three have been actively sharing their faith and setting up bible studies! We rejoice with these bright young disciples of Jesus.
In addition to the campus being reached, the church also rejoices with Quintt McDonough, who was also baptized this past month. Quintt has been visiting the OICC on and off for over a year, but recently returned to the fellowship ready to make a change in his life. He rapidly moved along in Bible studies and radically repented of the sin in his life that was holding him back. Now he is rejoicing that he has been added to the Kingdom of God! Quintt is a faithful disciple who is already serving in the church and is full of joy! His radical faith has also moved his wife to begin studying the Bible as well! Please be praying for her to make Jesus her Lord.
Why were young people so attracted to Jesus’ message and movement? In Mark 1, Jesus’ call to Peter and Andrew was, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark adds, “At once they left their nets and followed Him.” Since they were so quick to follow, something must have excited these young men. Interestingly, Jesus did not say come follow me and you will receive eternal life. Nor did he say come follow me and you will have so many blessings. The need for most young people is a sense of purpose. This was the exhilarating call of Jesus. For Peter and Andrew, no longer would their lives be a monotonous daily routine of fish–eat–sleep, but now they were going to impact their families, their acquaintances and everyone they met! Occasionally, I walk into the UCF Student Union and see multiple Bible studies going on with the OICC Campus disciples. It has been exciting to see so many young campus students searching for truth as well as witnessing our young disciples striving to reach each student with the Good News! Campus students, let’s continue to change the world by following Jesus and His example. Church, let’s continue to be praying and supporting our Campus Ministry as we keep the mission in mind and remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20. To God be the Glory!
Anthony Eckels
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